REVIEW – Wife Number Seven by Melissa Brown

Lipstick. Bright, red lipstick. Nothing but lipstick.
Even though it’s against our faith to wear a color that screams of sexual promiscuity and deviant behavior, I’m not allowed to protest.
But, I want to.
So badly.

You see, there’s more to me than the braid that spills down my back.
More to me than the layers of heavy fabric that maintain my modesty.
And so much more than the oppressive wedding band that adorns my finger–the same band that each of my sister wives wear.
So much more.
To protest would be sinful.
I must keep sweet, that is my duty.

So I’ll wear the lipstick. I’ll do as I’m told.
And I’ll do my best to silence the resistance within me, to push him from my mind.
If only my heart would do the same.

Wife Number Seven by Melissa Brown is one of those different, unique books that doesn’t fit into the mold of anything I have previously read. Its storyline is not one I’ve read countless times, and is set in a polygamist world, which I happen to be quite interested in. It’s a hauntingly beautiful read!

“We’d only been married three years, and already I’d grown tired of his treating me like a doll. Maybe I could love him if he saw me…the real me. Not the painted face he insisted upon.”

The story follows mainly through the eyes of Brinley, wife number seven. We follow her on a journey of exploration and discovery. She is, in a sense, relearning everything that she has ever known. It’s amazing to see this tiny bit of rebellion grow into acceptance of who she truly is and where she belongs; the realization that her actions are not taboo in other cultures. That inner turmoil and battle of strength and determination is so eloquently written. I can’t imagine being in a woman’s position such as hers, but I truly felt so much sympathy for this woman and her plight. I haven’t experienced any of her previous works, but Melissa Brown’s writing in Wife Number Seven was extraordinary. She was able to captivate you and evoke such strong emotions. There is one scene in particular where Brinley comes for the first time. I have to say that it is one of the most erotic, intimate scenes I have come across with the way that it was written and it jolted me to the core.

“The screams in my head had arrived. And I welcomed them with open arms.”

We also have several different secondary characters who were crucial on the path of Brin’s self-discovery. Much like Brinley’s braid, they were woven in and out of the story and were a piece of who she was. As a reader, I couldn’t help but fall in love with every single one of these people and what they represented to Brinley. Porter was the strength she needed, while Aspen was her conscience. Jorjina was a reminder that you could always change, while Rebecca was the reality of what her lifestyle could be. Each and every one of these characters were crucial to the story and pulled me into this world.

“Sure, maybe it was easy…but maybe I didn’t want easy. Maybe I wanted to be challenged, to be pushed, to be seen.”

There is not enough positive praise that I could give to this book, and I guarantee that I will be recommending it to everyone I cross paths with. It is undoubtedly one of my favorite reads of the year so far! Wife Number Seven will take you on a journey of strength and self-discovery, and it’s not one I’ll soon forget!